The Price of Freedom
by Data01
Summary: Chakotay and Seven discuss the concept of free speech.


This was actually written several years ago under a pseudonym, but I decided to go ahead and re-post it here under my Data01 account.

THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

Chakotay came out of the sciences building on the grounds of Starfleet Academy and saw Seven waiting for him. She was watching one of the spring demonstrators exhorting the passers-by along the quad in the center of the campus. He tapped her shoulder to get her attention. "Hi, I hope you haven't been waiting long."

"That man is making inflammatory statements critical of the Federation and Starfleet," Seven informed him.

Chakotay looked over at the man in question. "Spirits, Brother Ben is still around? Don't worry about him, sweetheart, he's just the resident communist. He's as much an institution around here as old Boothby was-and more entertaining."

"But why would they allow him to say such derogatory things publicly, especially in the center of Starfleet Academy grounds?"

"Allow him?" Chakotay echoed in amusement. He took her hand and they began walking. "He's entitled to say anything he wants as long as he's not inciting acts of violence; besides, the Federation pays him to criticize them."

Seven stopped and gave him a quizzical look.

"Okay, the Federation indirectly pays him," Chakotay clarified with a grin. "Decades, maybe even centuries ago, they created an endowment fund with the goal of subsidizing personal freedom of expression. They provide credits and other resources to people so that they can creatively express themselves through words or images. Without those subsidies, people like Brother Ben would have to constructively contribute to society in other ways and they the only people left with the time or inclination to rabble rouse would be college professors and who would take them seriously? No, Brother Ben and others like him are the epitome of free speech in our society. They don't pay anything to voice their opinions, in fact, they are paid to guarantee that there are no impediments to their ability to voice their opinions."

"But his conclusions are erroneous," Seven countered, "and his comparisons skewed."

Chakotay shrugged, "depends on how you look at it. For example, suppose someone said that a resident of Earth committed a gruesome, government-sanctioned, brutal act of murder every single day and no one did anything to stop it. Well, somewhere on Earth I'm sure a bear is having a fish or two for dinner. Since both the bear and the fish reside on Earth and there is no law forbidding the bear from eating a fish, then the initial statement would be technically accurate. See, some people assume that if something isn't expressly forbidden by laws or regulations, then society, the government or both must endorse it. So, since no one is charged with protecting the fish from the bear and there is no rule saying that bears can't fish, then the Federation must endorse the mass murder of fish."

"That is fallacious logic," Seven commented.

"No one would say that the Federation or Starfleet is perfect and everyone knows that they minimize the information they release to the public. Other people like Brother Ben use hyperbole to exaggerate and interpret the details that are released. Some people will completely agree with Brother Ben's interpretation, others will completely agree with the Federation while sensible people discover the truth somewhere in-between the two viewpoints. But, everything people like Brother Ben back there spews creates an opportunity for discussion, an open exchange of ideas among intelligent individuals who choose to think critically about the issues raised and engage in calm discourse."

"By that somewhat odd reasoning," Seven acknowledged, "that man does serve a societal function. Why does he not use a vid transmission? It would seem to be more effective than this display."

"How free does free speech need to be?" Chakotay asked. "The Federation is already subsidizing him, why should he be entitled to still more resources to spread his opinions? If he wants to use his own resources or find a benefactor, no one would stop him; however, free speech doesn't come with a guarantee that anyone will listen. The creative protesters manage to get attention drawn to them on an interplanetary scale whereas others, like Brother Ben, remain local attractions. The scope of their audience is entirely up to them since no one is required to listen to them or pay anything for the dubious privilege of hearing them."

Seven shook her head. "This free society is a very convoluted place."

"But worth every credit."

"Have you ever considered living on Vulcan?"

"Oh, they have their protesters there, too," Chakotay pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "I hear just last year a Vulcan engaged in a public display of emotion, right in the middle of the Vulcan Science Academy."


End file.
